In memoriam, seventeen years later

Today is the seventeenth anniversary of the September 11th attacks, which destroyed New York’s World Trade Center, damaged the Pentagon, and claimed the lives of thousands of innocent Americans. In honor of those who died that day, we’re republishing a poem that we post annually here on The Cascadia Advocate.

A silence fell within the mistSomehow the Newcomer knew that thisMeant time had come for her to sayWhat was in the hearts of the two thousand plus that day.

“Back on Earth, we wrote reports,Watched our children play in sportsWorked our gardens, sang our songsWent to church and clipped couponsWe smiled, we laughed, we cried, we foughtUnlike you, great we’re not”

The tall man in the stovepipe hatStood and said, “Don’t talk like that!Look at your country, look and seeYou died for freedom, just like me.”

Then, before them all appeared a sceneOf rubbled streets and twisted beamsDeath, destruction, smoke and dustAnd people working just ’cause they must

Hauling ash, lifting stones,Knee deep in hell, but not alone“Look! Blackman, Whiteman, Brownman, YellowmanSide by side helping their fellow man!”So said Martin, as he watched the scene“Even from nightmares, can be born a dream.”

Down below three firemen raisedThe colors high into ashen hazeThe soldiers above had seen it beforeOn Iwo Jima back in ’44

The man on sticks studied everything closelyThen shared his perceptions on what he saw mostly“I see pain, I see 20 tears,I see sorrow – but I don’t see fear.”

“You left behind husbands and wivesDaughters and sons and so many livesare suffering now because of this wrongBut look very closely. You’re not really gone.

All of those people, even those who’ve never met youAll of their lives, they’ll never forget youDon’t you see what has happened?Don’t you see what you’ve done?You’ve brought them together as one.”

With that the man in the stovepipe hat said“Take my hand,” and from there he ledtwo thousand plus heroes, Newcomers to heavenOn this day, two thousand one, nine eleven.

— by Paul Spreadbury, dedicated to the victims of September 11th

Like what you just read? Or found it thought-provoking? Donate to help NPI continue publishing substantive commentary and analysis here on the Cascadia Advocate.

This entry was written by Andrew and posted on September 11th, 2018 at 5:46 AM.

Adjacent posts

About

The Cascadia Advocate is authored by the staff, board, and contributors of the Northwest Progressive Institute, a netroots powered strategy center working to raise America's quality of life through innovative research and imaginative advocacy.